school/nursery/preschool/prep school Confused?

[super1971]

Hi i am confused and wondered if anyone can help, i remember way back that i went to school but confused now re how it all fits to gether > DS goes to nursery when i work but where will he go after etc etc, the nurser goes till five years but no more , can anyone help me put this together, thanks

Well pre - school starts at at around 2y 9m-3years. They don't have to attend, you can still send him to the nursery at your work but you are then entitled to some 'free' sessions, they are allowed upto 5 x 2 1/2 hour sessions a week. Your nursery will probably approach you with some forms to fill in when it gets nearer the time. He'll start reception (1st year of infants in our day!) the september after he is 4.

If you want to keep him at the day-care nursery until he goes to full-time school, he will move to the Reception year of an infant/primary school when he is a rising 5.

A Prep school is a junior or primary school within the independent sector (Pre-prep covers nursery/infant age-groups).

OK.... my chares go to a PREPschool school

The pre school bit includes the classes they call
Nursary (2-3 year olds)
Kindergarten (3 - 4 year olds).

However a nursary can also be a place that offers day CARE for any child (normally from 12 weeks the earliest) until the age where they start in a reception class.

A preschool generally EDUCATES children from 2 years 9 months - starting reception class

SO the vast majority of nursary schools (providing CARE for the children) are ALSO preschools for the children over 2 years 9 months who attend.

A prep school is generally a VERY good independant school, where conventionally alot of the children move onto public schools (the likes of Eaton / Harrow etc)

okay i think i get it so do i leave hiim where he is til 5 or at 2 yrs months move him to the school where he is going to be for infants?

You should look at the admissions policy for the primary school. Do they give preference to their own nursery children? (I think most places, the nursery children still have to apply for a place in the primary school).

If you move him to a nursery school, you will need some kind of childcare for the half-days that he is not there.

what a pain! to have to find cover for half days, hes better staying where he is then, do you think i would be able to get a reduction on fees then if the are entitled to some free nursery ed? or do i loose it ?

The term after he is 3, he is entitled to 5 free x 2 1/2 hour sessions. The nursery will probably speak to you nearer the time.

As Furball said, you should probably get a form to fill in at the appropriate age to claim the grant from the council - the nusery will either deduct it off your fees or give you a cheque. You can also spread the grant over more than one establishment - my son went to (day-care 8am-6pm) nursery one day a week and preschool (3 hours per day) for the remainig 4 days, so I claimed in both settings.

If you opt for private eductaion (ds1 is in the pre-prep section of the local prep school) you can also claim the nursery grant for the terms up to and including the one in which he turns 5. Again our school just deducts it off the fees.